Nut



March l0, 1,931. w. E. sl-umlfl 1,795,517

Filed April 21, 1926 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. SHARP, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS NUT Application led April 21,

My invention relates to nuts and a method of and apparatus for producing the same, and the object of my invention is broadly to provide improved lock nuts which can be '.5 economically produced in commercial quantities.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for producing the improved nuts from flat bars of metal as distinguished from a method of and apparatus for producing lock nuts from metal bars rolled with concavo-'convex crosssections although certain features of the invention are not limited to nuts formed from Hat bars of metal.

One form of the invention is embodied in lock nuts which are produced from flat bars of metal by apparatus comprising a punch member adapted to cooperate with a die member, the bars being, advanced between the punch and die members which are moved relatively to each other to corrugate the bars transversely thereof and simultaneously to punch spaced holes through the bars, after which, predetermined lengths are severed from the bars to provide nut blanks which are subsequently tapped.' The nut blanks are then subjected to pressure in such manner that a portion of the screw threads are deformed without attendant deformation of the tapped hole.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.`

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein show and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

` Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a nut embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view 0f a portion of a fiat bar from which nuts embodying the invention may be made;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a die and punch embodying the invention;

1926. Serial No.. 103,567.

Fig. L.Llis a section through a nut before compression l Fig. 5 is a section taken through improved apparatus for deforming a portion of the screw threads near one face of the improved nut; and

Fig. 6vis a section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. l.

It' will be understood that the modification of the locking threads is exaggerated, as shown in Fig. 6, to clearly show the combination. Such modification is necessarily slight-much less than the distance between contiguous threads. It is believed that a complete understand- '65 ing of the improved method will be had from a description of apparatus employed in practicing the method. i

In Fig. l of the drawing, I 'have shown a self-locking nut embodying the invention, the improved nut being designated bythe reference character 10 and being preferably formed with a groove 1l formedon one of its faces and with a ridge 12 formed on the opposlte face. The nut is provided with a tapped hole or bolt-receiving aperture 13,

screw threads being indicated at 14. A portion only of the screw threads 14 are deformed as will hereinafter more fully appear. The deformed threads are preferably near the upper, surface and are indicated at 15.` The groove 11 and the ridge l2 are preferably so formed upon the faces of the nut that thev thickness of the metal in the nut is substantially-uniform.

By practising my improved method, a plurality of nuts, such as the one shown in Fig. 1, may be formed from fiat bars of metal of substantially uniform rectangular crosssection, a portion of a bar of this type being shown at 18 in Fig. 2. Heretofore it has been the practice to produce nuts having substantially the same conformation as the one shown in Fig. 1 from bars of metal which were rolled in such manner that each bar had a groove somewhat similar to the groove 11 herein extending longitudinally thereof, a ridge similar to the ridge 12 being rolled in the opposite face of the bar. This entails increased expense, the use of special rolls beself-locking nuts 10 produced from Hat bars ing necessary by the mill and such bars cannot be economically produced unless rolled in relatively large quantities. Another disadvantage of using bars having ridges and grooves rolled therein is that the rolling mills do not deem it profitable at times to devote one of the milling units to the production of bars of this type, causing delays in the manufacture of nuts. Bars of the type shown in Fig. 2 and designated by the reference character 18 are a standard product and generally a sufficient supply of them is kept on hand by the mill so that orders therefor may be filled immediately. However, certain features of the invention are not limited to 18 and it is to be understood that theinvention is limited to this feature only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

My improved apparatus for producing the locking nuts 10 from the flat bars 18 is illusl trated in Fig. 3 and preferably comprises a punch holder or member.20 having an upwardl projectin post 21 or equivalent part whereby-it may e secured to a reciprocatory member of a punch (press (not shown). The member 20 is adapte to cooperate with a die block or member 23 positioned upon the bolster plate or the bedplate -of the press (not shown). The die block 23 is referably provided with al lplurality of epressions 25 and 26, there eing a plurality of depressions 25 and a single depression 26 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. The depressions 25 conformto thejaforementiqned ridges 12 provided upon the nuts 10 and the initial depression 26 preferably of less depth for a purpose which will presently appear. Secured to the punch member 20 is a punch or former 27 havin ridges 28 and 29. The ridge 29 is aligne with the recess 26 and the ridgel 28 is aligned with one of the recesses 25. The'construction is such that when one of the bars 18 is introduced between the punch or former 27 and the die block 23, and the unch 27 is moved forcibly toward the die b ock 23, the punch and die block will form depressions 1n the bar correspondin to the depressions 11 in the nuts 10, ridges orresponding to the rldges 12 being simultaneously formed on4 the re-.

verse side of the bar.` In this instance, the ridge 29 and the groove 26 do not completely form the necessary ridges and grooves 1n the bar but rather deform the bar in such mannerthat the adjacent ridge 2,8 and groove 25 may readily complete the operation when the bar is advanced a unitl distance to gradually form the flat bar to an ogee shape with the desired curvatures. It is readily understood that after each stroke of the Apunch member 20, the bar 18 may be advanced so that any one of the ridges' formed in the lower side of the bar will occu y the next groove 25 to the left (Fig. 3). his lnsures that the ridges and grooves will be uniformly and correctly spaced along/the bar.

It will be noted that the grooves and ridges provided in the bar 18 extend transversely thereof and that the bar 18 is in reality cor- .rugated transversely thereof when it is passed through the apparatus.

The means for forming the bolt-receiving apertures 13 in the bars 18 preferably comprises a punch or piercing tool 32 or the equivalent, registering with an aperture 33 provided in the die member 23, the piercing tool 32 being carried by the punch member 20, preferably aligned with the die block, as illustrated, so that its axis intersects the axis or center of the corresponding groove on the die block and bar 18, and being adapted to stamp a slug 34 from said bar each time the member 20 is reciprocated as the bar is advanced.

At 36 I have shown a guide 0r pilot member depending from the member 20 and aligned with an aperture 37 formed in the die block 23 and the pilot member 36 is preferably provided with a tapered end 38 adapted to enter the aperture formed in the bar 18 by the piercing tool 32. Obviously, the pilot member will accurately position the bar 18 each time it is advanced. Nut blanks, such as indicated at 40, are preferably simultaneously cut from the bar 18 by a cutoff tool 41 secured to the member 20 and adapted to cooperate withthe die block 23.. It will be noted that the nut blank 40 is substantially of the same conformation as the nut 10 shown in Fig. 1, the nut blank 40 being provided with a ridge 12 and a groove 11 and also with the bolt hole 13.

In the next step of my improved method, the nut blanks 40 are preferably tapped to provide the screw threads 14, as indicated in Fig. 4, after which a portion of the screw threads 14 preferably near the ridge face of the nut are deformed to bring the contiguous threads near that face slightly closer together in order that when the nut is applied to a bolt, the deformed threads 15 frictionally engage the cooperating threads of the bolt to prevent accidental displacement of the nut relative to the bolt by reason of shocks or vibrations. The screw threads 15 may be deformed in4 various ways, but, in the preferred embodiment of the invention only the portions of the threads proximate the convex face of the nut blank are slightly compressed to bring them closer together and to increase the frictional contact between them and the cooperating bolt threads. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the nut blank may 'be positioned upon a suitable anvil 42 having a ridge 43 preferablyfitting snugly into the groove provided upon the concave face of the blank. The convex face of the blank may then be slightly compressed by means preferably comprising a lll() the threads near the convex face of the nut."

Obviously, as the pressure is applied to a relatively small area of the convex face, the threads proximate this area will be deformed. Preferably, the convex face of the blank is subjected to a predetermined pressure which will deform those portions of the threads disposed between the dotted lines 45 in Fig. 5. This is advantageous in that the nut blank 40 is not bent and therefore the bolt-receiving aperture is not deformed and the bolt-receiving aperture 13 need not be given an elliptical or other non-circular shape by the piercing tool 32 to compensate for subsequent deformation of the hole. While I have shown a ridge 43 formed upon the anvil 42, I lind that in some instances the ridge 43 may be omitted and that the pressure to which the convex face of the blank is subjected may be soy accurately adjusted as to suiciently compress portions of the threads proximate the convex face without attendant vbending of the blank.

In the preferred forms of the invention, -the deformed threads 15 are not deliected in the manner that they would be if the nut blank itself were bent, but rather the threads 15 are crowded toward each other in such manner that the distance between the top of one thread 15 and the top of an adjacent thread 15 is made less. This causes the threads 15 to effectively engage the threads of the bolt to prevent accidental movement of the nut relative the bolt. Also, the threads 15 cooperate with the normal threads 14 t'o prevent accidental movement of the nut relative the bolt. However, I am limited to this feature of the invention only insofar as is defined in the appended claims.

In practice, the nuts 10 are preferably applied to the bolts in such manner that the threads proximate the concave surfaces thereof first engage the threads of the bolt by the usual linger iit. The nuts will then turn easily upon the bolts until the deformed threads 15 engag the threads of the bolts, whereupon the frieclional contact between the nuts and the bolts will be increased, thus insuring a tight fit and preventing accidental dis lacement between them.

aving thus described my invention it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit thereof; hence I donot wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A method of producing bolt nuts, comprising bending a flat bar of metal transversely to form aligned grooves and ridges on opposite faces of the bar interspaced by aligned ridges and grooves on opposite faces of said bar, forming bolt-receiving apertures in said bar through said grooves and ridges, cutting the bar in predetermined lengths to form nut blanks, each having a groove and ridge substantially centrally positioned thereof, and screw-threading the walls of the bolt apertures.

2. A method of producing lock nuts, comprising subjecting a nut blank to bending pressure to form an aligned groove and a ridge transverse the grain of the metal on the opposite faces thereof with those portions of the blank on either side oppositely bent, forming a bolt-receiving aperture 1n said blank centrally disposed through said groove and ridge, screw-threading said aperture and subjecting the blank while supported along the entire area thereof to pressure to slightly compress the threads near the ridged face.

3. A method of producing lock nuts comprising subjecting a nut blank to pressure to form a groove and a ridge transverse the grain of the metal upon oppositely disposed faces thereof forming a bolt-receiving aperture in said blank, screw-threading said aperture and subjecting a portion of the ridged face of the nut so formed to pressure while supporting the entire grooved face thereof.

4. Apparatus forproducingnutblankscoming force, and means for cutting said bar into predetermined lengths. y

5. Apparatus for producing nut blanks comprising means for corrugating a fiat bar of metal transversely thereof producing aligned grooves and ridges on opposite faces of the bar, means for forming bolt-receiving apertures centrally disposed through the grooves and ridges and threading the same, and means for cutting said bar in predetermined lengths to form nuts, each nut including a groove and ridge section.

6. Apparatus for producing lock nuts comprising means for corrugating a bar of metal transversely thereof, means for forming boltreceiving apertures in said bar and means for cutting said bar into parts, each having a bolt-receiving aperture therein.

7. Apparatus for producing lock nuts,com prising means for bending'a flat bar of metal transversely to provide alternately formed 8. A nut comprising a blank of uniform thickness bent across the grain so that it is convex on its upper surface at its central portion and concave on said'surface on either side thereof, and a. threaded. hole therethrough, the threads adjacent said upper surface being deformed for locking purposes by axial pressure without bending of the nut.

9. A method of forming nuts comprising applying pressure above and below a flat bar to form corrugations extending transversely thereof, advancing said bar after each application, perforating said bar after each advance with the axes of said perforations eX- tending in the direction of pressure in forming said corrugations, and cutting the bar between said erforations into predetermined 'lengths to orm nut blanks of the desired size.

l0. A method of forming nuts comprising applying pressure above and below a flat bar to form corrugations extending transversely of the grain in said bar, advancing said bar after each application, perforating said bar after each advance so thatI the axesv of said perforations intersect those of the corrugations in the bar, cutting the bar between Said perforations intopredetermined lengths,

"threading the perforations in said cut blanks,

and applying pressure to deform some of the threads in said nuts in the direction of the perforations therein.

11. Apparatus for manufacturing nuts, comprising a press with a former adapted to corrugate a flat bar by a plurality of pressingv operations, punch and die means for simultaneously forming bolt-receiving apertures in said bar, and means Vfor simultaneously cuttin off an end portion of said bar to form nut lanks.

12. Apparatus for manufacturing nuts,

comprising a press provided with a former, punch means and cut-0E means, all of said means operating simultaneously, 'whereby When a Hat bar is periodically 'advanced through said apparatus it is first corrugated,

g then formed with bolt-receiving a ertures,

and then cut to the proper size to orm nut blanks.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM E. SHARP.

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